Office X 10.1.5 Update does not update Word

[Dennis Fleisher]

I have used the Office X 10.1.5 update. After the update process I noted that Excel, Power Point, and Component Plugin were both showing Version 10.1.5 in the Get Info box. But, Word is showing Version 10.1.4

So, the question is, What version number should Word be after applying update 10.1.5

I should also note that I have been going through the same ridiculous problems with installing the updates as many others have reported on this site. I was told, specifically, to apply the three updates posted on the Microsoft website: Office X 10.1.2 Update, Office X 10.1.4 Update, and Office X 10.1.5 Update. And, I was told they had to be applied in the correct order. After many wasted hours I found that guidance to be erroneous and, further, that the installer couldn't tell me what was wrong. Well, it did -- but it was WRONG. It said it couldn't find the program, and that was NOT the problem

I find it astounding that after all these years Microsoft programmers can write an installer that can find their own software. In Office 98 for the Mac, the names of the programs had to be exactly as provided on the original CD, otherwise the installer couldn't find them

I also find it astounding that MS programmers can't write helpful error messages. All the installer had to do was offer a single error message saying that the current installed version is so and so, and that the user needs to use a different installer. Duh

Finally, I find it odd that there isn't even a simple Read Me file with your updates to let people know what the current version numbers are.

C'mon MS guys and gals: How long has it been since Word 1.0 came out? And you still can't provide even the most basic user-friendly touches to a simple updater?

 

[JE McGimpsey]

I have used the Office X 10.1.5 update. After the update process I noted that
Excel, Power Point, and Component Plugin were both showing Version 10.1.5 in
the Get Info box. But, Word is showing Version 10.1.4.

So, the question is, What version number should Word be after applying update
10.1.5?

Word should still be 10.1.4. The Read Me in each installer addresses the
applications and components that are affected. The 10.1.4 installer
lists over 40 files that are affected and their version number after
update. See below for the information in the 10.1.5 updater Read Me.

I should also note that I have been going through the same ridiculous
problems with installing the updates as many others have reported on this
site. I was told, specifically, to apply the three updates posted on the
Microsoft website: Office X 10.1.2 Update, Office X 10.1.4 Update, and Office
X 10.1.5 Update. And, I was told they had to be applied in the correct order.
After many wasted hours I found that guidance to be erroneous

How so? What should the guidance have been?

and, further, that the installer couldn't tell me what was wrong.
Well, it did -- but it was WRONG. It said it couldn't find the
program, and that was NOT the problem.

What was the problem?

I find it astounding that after all these years Microsoft programmers can
write an installer that can find their own software. In Office 98 for the
Mac, the names of the programs had to be exactly as provided on the original
CD, otherwise the installer couldn't find them.

I also find it astounding that MS programmers can't write helpful error
messages. All the installer had to do was offer a single error message saying
that the current installed version is so and so, and that the user needs to
use a different installer. Duh!

Instead of being coy and cryptic, what was the problem? That you'd
already installed the 10.1.2 updater? The download page tells you how to
verify whether you've installed the updater or not.

Finally, I find it odd that there isn't even a simple Read Me file with your
updates to let people know what the current version numbers are.

But there is...

From the 10.1.5 installer Read me:

File Version Number
Microsoft Excel 10.1.5
Microsoft PowerPoint 10.1.5
MS OLE Automation (Carbon) 10.1.5
Shmem.bundle 10.1.5
Microsoft Component Plugin 10.1.5
Visual Basic for Applications 10.1.5

What more do you want? Obviously the installer Read Me can only address
the changes in the installer - it has no way of knowing whether a
previous update was done on any previous applications/components. Or
even if you've still got those apps/components installed.

C'mon MS guys and gals: How long has it been since Word 1.0 came out? And you
still can't provide even the most basic user-friendly touches to a simple
updater?

Aside from being able to find all the components/applications,
regardless of what you rename them or where you relocate them, what
other user-friendly touches do you want? Send that feedback to MS.

Since this is a peer-to-peer forum, it's a very ineffective way to
provide feedback to Microsoft. Instead, use the Help/Feedback on
Application menu item in all v.X Office apps - the feedback gets read by
the appropriate program managers.

 

[Sean Brophy]

HEY!

Don't express surprise at MS incompetence in the Mac arena!

It isn't incompetence it's malicious engineering.

Or whatever, all I know is they NEVER cease to amaze me at the things they
bugger up.

Like all of a sudden they don't support Unicode in the file name save scheme
of thing!?!

HA! Seems to me like they invented Unicode.

I'm sure they actually didn't, but you know what I mean. One minute there
are a zillion message saying Unicode this Unicode that, the next you can't
use it!

OK I am ranting and you have no idea what I am on about, but it is to do
with using Japanese in file names and believe me, it is annoying that while
everyone else is making things multi-platform multi-lingual MS are, it seems
to me, deliberately making things crap so that you are forced to buy two
versions of stuff (it seems I will now have to buy a Japanese version of
office to address my problem).

Anyway, NEVER be surprised by MS policy.

And about this update thing! I applied al the updates and office suddenly
kept asking me to input the CD key again. And when I did it kept saying it
was wrong! So what happened? I reinstalled the whole caper, and then it
started up without asking me for anything!! So I am back to the un-upgraded
version as I couldn't get 10.1.5 to even open.

Got to laugh really

Right. I'm finished.

Don't anyone tell me to stop ranting as I am not listening...

 

[Sean Brophy]

use the Help/Feedback on

Application menu item in all v.X Office apps - the feedback gets read by
the appropriate program managers.

Yeah right!

 

[JE McGimpsey]

And about this update thing! I applied al the updates and office suddenly
kept asking me to input the CD key again. And when I did it kept saying it
was wrong! So what happened? I reinstalled the whole caper, and then it
started up without asking me for anything!! So I am back to the un-upgraded
version as I couldn't get 10.1.5 to even open.

You either typed it in wrong, or you originally used a CD key that is
known to have been pirated/widely distributed. The Office updates
disable these keys.

If you now have a legitimate CD key, you can run the Remove Office
application from the Install disk, then reinstall Office and apply the
updaters.

If you purchased a legitimate copy of Office, call customer support and
be prepared to supply your proof of purchase.

 

[JE McGimpsey]

use the Help/Feedback on
Application menu item in all v.X Office apps - the feedback gets read by
the appropriate program managers.

Yeah right![/QUOTE]

Not sure why you're so skeptical. The Macintosh Business Unit (MacBU) is
a fairly small group within MS (~150 people from developers to testers
to marketing to management to customer support to ...), and everyone
that I've met or corresponded with (~60, I'd guess) has been
enthusiastic about getting customer feedback.

Doesn't mean that all user problems get solved instantaneously (or even
at all), and you may not get individual feedback, but they certainly
read the mail.

 

[Dennis Fleisher]

My, my Mr. McGimpsey,

Aren’t we defensive today.

But, if you are speaking in defense of Microsoft’s Mac programming wing, I guess you would have a lot to be defensive about.

The following is in response to what is probably the key question in your reply to me:

I’ll answer, and then you can tell me the error of my ways.

The following is directly from the Read Me file that came with the Microsoft Office v. X 10.1.2 Update:

“2 Installation

2.1 System Requirements
You must have Mac OS X 10.1 or greater installed on your computer to install this updater. Also, before you install the update, check to ensure that the full Office v. X suite or any Office v. X program (Microsoft Word X, PowerPoint X, Entourage X, or Excel X) is installed on your computer.â€


So, I did that. I have the original CD that I bought (legal, registered, etc.), and it seemed reasonable to assume that since I have installed no previous updates, I should just follow the instructions in the Read Me document.

As I was installing the update I got the following error message:

“This updater could not find Office v. X.â€

Please note Mr. McGimpsey, this simply said it could not find Office v. X.
It did not say it could not find an upgradeable version.

Now, the rest of the alert message.

“This updater could not find Office v. X, or you have clicked “Cancel.†You may not have Office X on the machine or the copy you have may not require the update. Please check the Read Me file for Installation Requirements.â€

So, I went back and reread the Read Me document . . . . again.

I see, now, in retrospect, that I might have suspected that “the copy I have may not require the update.†But, again, in reading the Read Me document I didn’t find anything that I thought applied to my situation.

In your response to me you stated that my remarks were coy and cryptic.

I think those descriptions are more applicable to the above error message.

The upshot of all this is that I now do have updated versions of all my Office X software, after many needlessly wasted hours caused by “cryptic†error messages.

In response to another question you posed,
“What more do you want?â€

How about an error message that says:
“You do not need this update. You already have version 10.1.4 of Office X installed on your computer.â€

If the MS Mac programmers need help in finding out how to have the installer determine the installed version of the software, I think I can help. Let me know.

I seems evident that MS just doesn’t get it. But, why should that surprise me.

Let’s see if they can do any better with another question I’ve posted, already answered incorrectly.

Dennis Fleisher

 

[PS]

Mr. McGimpsey

I forgot to respond to your concluding comment

"Since this is a peer-to-peer forum, it's a very ineffective way to
provide feedback to Microsoft. Instead, use the Help/Feedback on
Application menu item in all v.X Office apps - the feedback gets read by
the appropriate program managers.

Been there, done that, and I will continue. But, having done that for the past 15+ years, including sending MacsBugs reports to MS programmers in the old days, it would appear that this has all been for naught.

I do not, and never have, expected personalized, immediate replies. Just some indication that a suggestion (stated by me and most often by many, many others in the user community) has been heard. That "indication" might just be a simple improvement in the software over the ensuing years. And, I know that just because I say it and others echo the same observation, does not mean that my way (or our way) is right

.. . . . . though there are some items that are, clearly, bugs, i.e., just a little slip in the programming, as oberved in my other recent post

Denni

 

[Jim Gordon MVP]

My comments are interspersed below.
----------

HEY!

Don't express surprise at MS incompetence in the Mac arena!

Surprisingly, people are encouraged to express their opinions in this forum.
Even opinions based upon favorable user experiences with Microsoft products
;-)

It isn't incompetence it's malicious engineering.

That's quite a claim! Good luck trying to back that one up with facts.

Or whatever, all I know is they NEVER cease to amaze me at the things they
bugger up.

That does not surprise me.

Like all of a sudden they don't support Unicode in the file name save scheme
of thing!?!

Huh? What are you talking about?

HA! Seems to me like they invented Unicode.

The Unicode Standard is defined by the Unicode Consortium.
http://www.unicode.org/
Microsoft is one of the full corporate members of the consortium. So is
Apple. Please don't hold it against either company.

I'm sure they actually didn't, but you know what I mean. One minute there
are a zillion message saying Unicode this Unicode that, the next you can't
use it!

You are using a different clock from the rest of us. During which second did
Microsoft say that Mac Office supports Unicode?

OK I am ranting and you have no idea what I am on about, but it is to do
with using Japanese in file names and believe me, it is annoying that while
everyone else is making things multi-platform multi-lingual MS are, it seems
to me, deliberately making things crap so that you are forced to buy two
versions of stuff (it seems I will now have to buy a Japanese version of
office to address my problem).

Which problem are you trying to solve? The ranting problem or the computer
problem? The ranting problem is clear, but so far you have kept the computer
problem a secret.

Anyway, NEVER be surprised by MS policy.

Surprises can be fun. Only a sourpuss would not like an occasional surprise.

And about this update thing! I applied al the updates and office suddenly
kept asking me to input the CD key again. And when I did it kept saying it
was wrong! So what happened?

In general, that means you tried to upgrade a pirated copy of Office. There
were a few legitimate copies that had bad CD keys that got out accidentally,
so if you are sure you have a legitimate copy of Office you should contact
Microsoft support for a replacement CD key. Sometimes even savvy computer
users get stuck with pirated software unintentionally.
http://www.microsoft.com/piracy/basics/what/cc.asp

I reinstalled the whole caper, and then it
started up without asking me for anything!! So I am back to the un-upgraded
version as I couldn't get 10.1.5 to even open.

As I said, if your copy is really one of the handful of legitimate copies
that got out (highly unlikely though that might be) please give Microsoft
support a jingle.

Got to laugh really

Right. I'm finished.

Don't anyone tell me to stop ranting as I am not listening...

Obviously. Oh - and the Microsoft product managers do personally read the
feedback sent in even from the non-paying freeloaders who pirate the
software. Hopefully you are not among the freeloaders.

-Jim Gordon
Mac MVP

All responses should be made to this newsgroup within the same thread.
Thanks.

About Microsoft MVPs:
http://www.mvps.org/

Before posting a "new" topic please be sure to search Google Groups to see
if your question has already been answered.

 

[Peter d'Errico]

The upshot of all this is that I now do have updated versions of all my
Office X software, after many needlessly wasted hours caused by ³cryptic²
error messages.

In response to another question you posed,
³What more do you want?²

How about an error message that says:
³You do not need this update. You already have version 10.1.4 of Office X
installed on your computer.²

If the MS Mac programmers need help in finding out how to have the installer
determine the installed version of the software, I think I can help. Let me
know.

I have just been through the same frustration: hours wasted trying to
install updates 10.1.2 and 10.1.4 in order to be able to install 10.1.5
(including time spent searching M$ 'help' sites and discussion forums,
plus time spent downloading unneeded updates).

After locating Dennis' message, I realized I might be able to go
directly to 10.1.5 as he eventually did. It worked.

Dennis is right: it is not a big deal to write an installer that
recognizes already-installed versions and reports a clear message to
that effect. It is also not a big deal to write software that accurately
states the installed version information on the 'about' screen inside
the open application.

How was I to know the CD I bought and registered was ready for 10.1.5?
The 'about' screen states: 'service release 1' and I have never
installed any updates.

All it's going to take for me to abandon Word is another screwup like
this. It's already the only M$ app I use.

Peter

 

[JE McGimpsey]

Dennis is right: it is not a big deal to write an installer that
recognizes already-installed versions and reports a clear message to
that effect. It is also not a big deal to write software that accurately
states the installed version information on the 'about' screen inside
the open application.

Good feedback. Unfortunately, it doesn't do much good here, since few if
any of your readers will be MS employees. Please make sure you get your
message to MacBU by choosing the Help/Send Feedback on Word menu item in
Word v.X.

Please be sure to provide specific suggestions about how to write the
installer.

How was I to know the CD I bought and registered was ready for 10.1.5?
The 'about' screen states: 'service release 1' and I have never
installed any updates.

Perhaps I'm unusual, but I've always used the Finder's Get Info to get
version information. It's been by far the most accurate indicator for
nearly every commercial package I've owned since I got my first Mac. Not
that I disagree that it should be put into other places.

All it's going to take for me to abandon Word is another screwup like
this. It's already the only M$ app I use.

Have you *tried* updating OpenOffice? Have fun...

What will your alternative for legal work be? Wordperfect is so far out
of date for the Mac that I'd think you'd have to switch to an MS
operating system.

IME, ultimata are usually issued by those that don't perceive a real
alternative. Those that really are peeved switch silently. Far better,
IMO, to stand up and yell and be part of the solution...